When we made the difficult decision to sunset the Nexus Community Engagement Institute (NCEI) in spring 2024, we committed to keeping the learnings and tools available. NCEI’s Neighborhood Leadership Program was re-homed with YWCA St. Paul in fall 2024, and now, we’re excited to share that NCEI’s Tapping the Potential series will be offered by
After nearly 15 years at 2314 University Avenue, we gathered one last time to honor the office that has held our work, relationships, growth, and impact all these years, as we prepare to end our lease and begin our next chapter co-working at The Coven in Northeast Minneapolis. Nexus’ walls have witnessed leadership journeys, hard
March 2, 2026 Nexus Community Partners’ Shared Ownership Center awards $125,000 to South Como Cooperative SAINT PAUL, MN—Today, the Shared Ownership Center at Nexus announces its first LOCAL Fund: Community Ownership grant of $125,000, awarded to South Como Community Investment Cooperative (SCC) for the acquisition of 978 Front Avenue. The LOCAL Fund: Community Ownership is
As Black History Month/Black Futures Month draws to a close, the Cooperative Gallery Walk from our North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship reminds us that we are a part of a deep, rich legacy of Black cooperative economics, past and present. Leanna, our North Star Program Manager, highlights the Combahee River Colony to show how we
The Center for Community Investment (CCI) released a case study on the Shared Ownership Center @ Nexus (SOC@N)! CCI writes, “Every movement needs inspiration and infrastructure. In community-owned real estate, that infrastructure is built by ecosystem stewards: organizations that provide the expertise, financial support, and partnerships communities need to turn visions of ownership into real
Through our Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute, we have cultivated the leadership of 168 alumni and counting who have gone on to create transformational change at every level. Alum Tim Brewington, from our 2019-20 cohort, is meeting the moment with bold leadership in Woodbury. Read his story below! “I am a founding member of the
On Jan. 23, 2026, we witnessed the solidarity of tens of thousands of Minnesotans peacefully marching against the violent federal occupation of our state. On Jan. 24, we withstood, again, the devastation of watching a neighbor executed. This is an ancestral grief, an outrage well known to Black and Brown folks. In the wake of
Jan. 12, 2026 Nexus has never been an org that simply serves the community—we ARE our communities. Our staff are a mosaic of Black folks, Brown folks, and queer folks. Last week, faced with yet more horror, some of us stepped away from the office to process, grieve, protest, and rest. Some walked down their
When ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time) put out two distinct calls to community leaders of color to reclaim their own rest through sabbatical opportunities, the response was overwhelmingly honest. The ROOT team heard stories of burnout stemming from racial aggression, the pandemic, economic injustice, and years of not seeing progress on issues that truly matter
If you were at the Minnesota Humanities Center on Nov. 9, 2025, you would have found yourself among softly smiling Black and Brown faces, joyfully reclaiming their rest during a time that had been incredibly stressful for many. You might have seen a gentle tear dabbed away as we learned to let go of what
ROOT‘s Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship was a six-month, 15-person cohort for movement leaders of color to reclaim rest. From May to November 2025, fellows embarked on monthly sabbatical experiences ranging from weekend excursions to weeklong trips. Throughout their time together, the cohort uplifted why BIPOC folx must embrace rest and restoration as fundamental pieces of all
Are you ready to make an impact in systems change for greater equity? Do you want to improve your skills as a racial justice advocate to affect policy changes at the level of publicly appointed boards, committees, and commissions? Then good news: There’s still time to apply for our 2026 Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute
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